Muscle Gains: How to Eat Enough Protein

 

When people set out to gain muscle they usually think that they can wing it and figure it out as they go, having some chicken breasts and cottage cheese and roughly meet their requirements. However, many months later they often look at their bodies in the mirror and feel dispirited, not having put on the muscle they wanted. What went wrong? Odds are they didn't consume enough protein, so that though they might be exercising well, they're simply not providing their bodies with the requisite building blocks to grow. You not only need to be eating more than your maintenance calories, but you need to also get enough protein. In today's article we'll help you figure out how much protein you need, and how you can easily put together those items to reach your goal.

The first item to examine is how much protein you actually need. If you are looking to build muscle mass, then you need to be sure to consume at least one gram of protein for every pound of weight you have. This can range up to 1.5 grams if you are looking for true results, but 1 gram should be your baseline. So if you are a 175lb gentleman, you need to consume 175 grams of protein. How much and what kind of protein should you be eating to consume that much?

Let's take a look at some basic sources of protein. If you decide to stick with beef, you're looking at about 42 grams for a 6oz steak. A hamburger patty has about 28grams, and as a rule you will get about 7 grams of protein for every ounce. A chicken breast has about 30 grams, a chicken thigh about 10. Most fish steaks have about 22 grams for every 3.5oz, while a can of tuna has about 40 grams. A pork chop has about 22 grams, while a slice of bacon has 3. Eggs have 6 grams, a cup of milk has 8, and a cup of yogurt has about 10g.

So how do you get 175g of protein in one day? You can start with a glass of milk and cottage cheese on toast for 23g in the morning. A snack of peanuts could give you another 9, while two chicken breasts and a half cup of beans another 70g. A good protein shake with peanut butter and milk could hit you with another 45g, while a couple of pork chops for dinner would top you off.

 

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